Feeding device for blanks.



C. M. RUNYAN.

FEEDING DEVICE FOR BLANKS. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 29. I9I2. RENEWED MMI. so. IsIe.

Patented Jan. 21, 19.19.

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TED STATES ATENT FFICE.

CLAY M. RUNYAN, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE ADVANCE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A. CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEEDING DEVICE FOR IBLANKS.

Application led November 29, 1912, Serial No. 733,967. Renewed March 30, 1916.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known at I, CLAY M. I-UNYAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Lakewood, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeding Dcvices for Blanks, of which I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to mechanism for feeding blanks from a pile of blanks to a position for printing.

One object of the invention is to provide improved mechanism for feeding cards or other blanks to the printing mechanism of an addressing or other printing machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a blank feeding feeding mechanism of simple form adapted to feed forwardly successively the blanks from a pile of blanks.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in mechanism of this character, means for relieving the blank feeding member of the weight of the pile when it moves forwardly.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the parts and combination or combinations of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side elevation of a combined printing and addressing machine provided with a blank feeding device embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is 'a fragmentary section of the receptacle for blanks, and feed rolls showing the feeding mechanism for the blanks; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the pivoted feed arm, shown in its rearward limit of movement; Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the feed arm in itsdepressed position; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the receptacle and Fig. 6 is a vertical section of one feeding plate.

In these views A is the bed plate or frame of the machine chosen as one example of printing mechanism to which my invention may be applied. B indicates as an entirety mechanism for supporting and successively moving to and from the printing position slugs C. The feeding or moving mechanism B preferably comprises an endless chain or carrier passing around wheels E, F, the former wheel being fixed to a driven shaft Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

Serial No. 87,852.

G, which serves to operate the chain. The slugs C may be placed in a suitable holder or receptacle D from which they are pref erably delivered by gravity to the chain B.

The blanks, which may be cards, are stored in a receptacle D which is provided with a rigid bottom I, which is preferably inclined to facilitate the movement of the blanks. J indicates one or more openings formed in the bottom I. The purpose of these openings will be later described. K indicates an inclined rigid rear wall extending part way up the receptacle, and L, L, indicate rigid side walls which retain the cards in place.

The upper portions of the front and rear walls M and N respectively are` pivoted at at m and n to move freely backward and forward at their upper ends.

O is a hinged gate or guard at the lower end of the front wall.v The gate O is preferably adjustable to regulate the width of the opening in conformity to the thickness of the blanks passing through said opening. o indicates a set screw which may be provided to hold the gate O in its adjusted position.

P, P are feeding members for the blanks, each movable in and through one of the openings J, J. Each member is provided with an adjustable raised edge or flange 79, adapted to engage the rear end of each blank in turn and propel the blank forward. The inclined face of the rear wall serves to stackthe blanks in a stepped position, and hence permits the propelling edges of the feeding members P to engage the rear edge of each blank in turn without disturbing those above.

The feeding members P, P are inclined to correspond to the inclination of the bottom I of the receptacle D.

These feeding members P, P are operated to impart an upward and forward movement to the blanks when feeding them so as to raise them ofi' from the bottom and thereby to eliminate the friction of the bottom on the lower sides of the blanks, and also to agitate them so that they will become loosened from one another and feed one at a time. The rear extremity of the member P is elevated more than the forward end, thus increasing the above mentioned eiiciency of the said member.

' These members P, P are operated to im part a downward and rearward movement thereto on their return so as to pass below the bottom of the receptacle and permit ythe stack of blanks remaining in the receptacle to drop and rest thereon preparatory to another forward movement of another bottom card.

The means' for obtaining this peculiar movement is shown in the gures to be an arm P pivoted to P2 to the frame, the pivot opening P3 being elongated 'to permit of longitudinal movement.

Upon this pin the arm obtains both a reciprocating and oscillating movement lby means of two cams Q `and R upon the main shaft G. The arm is provided with a fork S and in this fork the lcam Q yoperates -to give the forward and rearward movement tothe arm.

The second cam R is provided with a Eilat side r and the arm with :a kshoulder R and when the cam R reaches such .a position that the shoulder R will be presented to the flat side of the cam, the outer end of the arm will drop and will permit the feeding members P, P, 4to pass below ythe bottom of the receptacle. These positions of the camy and arm are shown in Figs. 2, Sand 4.

In Fig. 2 the arms and feeding members are shown in the forward position and the blank X is fed between feed :rollers X X operated by gears X3, X4 and through a guide X2 to the printing position for a slug C carried upon the carrier B, as already described. The pressure Lis obtained by means .of fthe roller Z :operatively connected with the main shaft G -by means `of the gears Z and Z2.

To lessen the weight upon the lower blank, the upper portions of the receptacle walls are inclined forward simultaneously with the upward and forward ymovement given the blank. This action causes. the weight of the upper portion of `the stack of blanks to be partially supported upon the front wall and likewise llessons the weight upon the front edge `of vthe blank, which is being propelled forward ,and thus assists its progress.

To further assist `this forward imovement. of the blanks, each lplate is .pro-.vided with ne points T, T which will engagelthe bottom v.of ethe blanks and prevent slipping.

A. thin rubber sheet Xv4 .holds these points and can be cemented to :each plate.` Carborundum or `emery cloth .can be `substituted for the rubber plate.

The pivoted walls of the receptacle are operatia'el'y connected `by means of links V, V with upwardly zextending arms WV, W upon the yreciproeating arm P..

This same princi-ple of `mechanism can be utilized in feeding the blank from a .column of blanks, when the latter occupy a position, in ythe receptacle fat any. ,other angle differing from the position shown in the accompanying drawings.

To those skilled in the art of making apparatus of the character described, many modifications of and widely differing embodiments and applications of my invention will suggest themselves, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. My disclosures vand the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in. any sense limiting.

Having described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a blank feeding device for a printing machine, a receptacle having ka bottom formed with an opening, a feeding' member, a pivoted arm on which said feeding member is mounted, said arm -having a slot through 'which the pivot for said pivoted arm passes, an actuating shaft, and cams on said shaft for operating the front end of said arm upwardly and forwardly in one direction, and rearwardly and downwardly in the yother direction.

2. In a blank feeding device fora printing machine, a blank receptacle having an inclined lower rear wall, `and swinging up- -per front and rear walls, a bottom for `the receptacle `having an opening, a blank feeding member operable through said opening and having an upward and `forward and downward and rearward movement, and connections between said upper front `and rear walls and said feeding member, whereby said walls move forward at their `upper ends coincident with the upward and vforward movement of said feeding members.

The combination with a receptacle having an inclined lower rear wall and tilting upper front and rear walls, and a vbot-tom having' an opening, of a reciprocating feed member operable through said opening, said feed member having an upward and forward, and a downward and rearward movement, means for operating said feed member, and means for tilting said front and rear walls to correspon d with the movements of said feed member.

4. In a blank feeding device, the combination of a blank receptacle having front and rear walls, a bottom for the receptacle formed with an opening, a blank feeding member having 4an kextension adapted to project through said opening, said member being formed with an elongated slot, a `pivot shaft yextending through said slot, and cam means operatively connected with said lblank feeding member and adapted to give an `upward and forward and downward land .roarward niovex'nent thereto, the slot in said feeding member permitting rotary and sliding` moveniient thereof upon said shaft.

5. In a device for feeding blanks in a printing machine, a receptacle, a movable lli feeding device having a blank engaging member movable in the bottom of said receptacle, said member adapted to engage each blank in turn, said feeding device having intermediate of its ends a slot through lwhich a pivot pin projects to permit upward, downward and reciprocating movement of said blank engaging member, and cam meansengaging said feeding device for moving it on said pivot pin.

6. In a blank'ffeeding device for a printing machine, the combination of a receptacle having swingable front and rear walls and a bottom adapted to hold a plurality of blanks, saidbottom being formed with an opening, a device movable in and relative to the opening in said bottom for feeding the lowermost blank forwardly, and means for swinging said front and rear walls in coperation with the movement of said feeding device. f

7. In a blank feeding device for a printing machine, the combination of a receptacle having swingable front and rear walls and a bottom adapted to hold a plurality of blanks, said bottom being formed with an opening, a device movable in and relative to the opening in said bottom for feeding the lowermost blank forwardly, and means for simultaneously swinging said front and rear walls in coperation .with the movement of said feeding device.

8. In a blank feeding device for a printing machine, the combination of a receptacle having a bottom formed with an opening adapted to support a pile of blanks, a device movable in and relative to the opening in said bottom for feeding the lowermost blanks of the pile forwardly, and means for moving the uppermost blanks in the pile relative to the blanks therebelow to relieve said feeding device of theyweight of the blanks while said feeding device is operating.

9. In a blank feedingdevice for a printing machine, the combination of a receptacle having a bottom formed with an opening adapted to support a pile of blanks, a device movable in and relative to the opening in said bottom for feeding the lowermost blanks of the pile forwardly, and means connected with said feeding device for moving the uppermost blanks in the pile relative to the blanks therebelow to relieve said feeding device of the weight of the blanks while said feeding device is operating.

10. In a feeding device for a printing machine, the combination of a receptacle adapted t@ support a pile of blanks, the front and rear walls of said receptacle being swingable forwardly and rearwardly, `a movable device at the lower end of said receptacle for feeding the lowermost blank forwardly, and means for swinging said front and rear walls in coperation with the movement of said feeding device.

11. In a feeding device for a printing machine, the combination of an inclined receptacle adapted t0 hold a pile of blanks, the front and rear walls of said receptacle being swingably mounted, a movable device disposed at substantially right angles to the receptacle and arranged rto feed fo-rward the lowermost blank of the pile, and means for swinging said front and rear walls forwardly in coperation with the movement of said feeding device.

12.` In a feeding device for a printing machine, the combination of a receptacle adapted to receive a pile of blanks, the front and rear walls of said receptacle having lower stationary parallel sections arranged to hold the blanks in stepped relationship to each other and upper swingable sections, a movable device arranged to feed the lowermost blank forwardly, and means for swinging said upper sections in coperation with the movement of said feeding device.

13. In a feeding device for a printing machine, the combination of a receptacle adapted to receive a pile of blanks, the front and rear walls of said receptacle having lower stationary parallel sections arranged to hold the blanks in stepped relationship to each other and upper swingable sections, a movable device arranged to feed the lowermost blank forwardly, and means connected with said feeding device for swinging said. upper sections in coperation with the movement thereof.

14. In a feeding device for a printing machine, the combination of a receptacle :inclined downwardly and rearwardly and adapted to receive a pile of blanks, the front and rear walls of said receptacle having lower stationary sections disposed at an inclination to the longitudinal aXis of said receptacle, whereby a portion of the blanks are arranged in stepped relationship, and upper swingable sections, a movable device for feeding the lowermost blank forwardly, and means for swinging said upper sections in coperation with the movement of said feeding device.

15. In a feeding device for a printing machine, the combination of a receptacle inclined downwardly and rearwardly and adapted to receive a pile of blanks, the front and rear walls of said receptacle having lower stationary sections disposed at an inclination to the longitudinal axis of said receptacle, whereby a 'portion of the blanks are arranged in stepped relationship, and upper swingable sections, a movable device for feeding the lowermost blank forwardly, and means for swinging said upper sections forwardly in coperation with the movement of said feeding device.

,16. In a feeding device for a printing machine, the combination of a receptacle inclined downwardly and rearwardly and adapted to receive a pile' of blanks, the front and rear walls of said receptacleV having lower stationary sections disposed at an inclination to the longitudinal aXis of said receptacle, whereby avportion of the blanks are arranged in steppedrelationship, and upper swingable sections, a movable device for feedingthe lowermost blank forwardly, and means connected with said feeding device for swinging said upper sections forwardly and rearwardly.

17.- In a feeding device for aprinting machine, the `combination of a receptacle adapted to hold a pile of blanks, a reciprocating device at the lower endof saidreceptacle arranged to feed forwardly at the lowermost blank of the pile, a support for said device, and a pair of cams constructed and` arranged andv operating substantially simultaneously to swing and bodily slide saidy feeding device on said support.

18.. In a feeding,` device for a printing machine, the combination of a receptacle adapted to-hold a pile of blanks, a reciproeating` device at the lowerend of said receptacle arranged tov feedl forwardly the lowermost'blank of the pile, meansr arranged in front of said receptacle for swingably and slidably supporting said feeding device, and a pair of cams` for swinging and sliding said feeding devicev on said supporting means.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand this 26 day of November, 1912.

CLAY M. RUNYAN. In presence of- H. H, ANDERSON, WM; M.-MoNRoE.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,-

Wshington, D. C. 

